NYC Subway System Switching To Gender-Neutral Announcements

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is making changes to the announcements on New York City subways and buses this week in an attempt to provide a more inclusive atmosphere.

The phrase “ladies and gentleman” will be replaced with more gender-neutral language, such as “passengers,” “riders” and “everyone,” according to a bulletin that was sent to MTA staff over the weekend.

Workers were notified that the change would be effective immediately, and pre-recorded messages that don’t comply with the new wording will be updated in coming days.

The new language is part of the MTA’s mission in the NYC Subway Action Plan to improve communication with customers. It eventually wants to do away with pre-recorded messages altogether, instead opting for live announcements from actual members of the train crew.

The London Underground announced a similar plan to adopt gender-neutral announcements earlier this year, saying that Tube employees will also phase out the phrase “ladies and gentleman” for a more inclusive ride.

Meanwhile, a bill is working its way through state legislature that proposes requiring New York to change all language in laws that reads “firemen” or “policemen” to gender-neutral versions like “police officer” and “firefighter.”

Adam Salandra is a writer, performer and host in Los Angeles. When he's not covering the latest in pop culture, you can find him playing with his French Bulldog puppy or hovering over the table of food at any social gathering.